442 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



proved on analysis to be renovated butter. Such things 

 seem to us to be more of an injury to business than the sin- 

 gle transaction between the seller and the individual buyer, 

 for the quoting such a price in such a misleading way tends 

 to unsettle values, to impair confidence and to injure pro- 

 ducer and middleman. At the same time alluded to above 

 another large retailer was advertising fine Vermont dairy 

 butter at 22 cents per pound ; our inspector bought some, 

 and it proved to be renovated butter which probably never 

 saw Vermont. In a suburban town a dealer sold his "best 

 creamery butter "at 28 cents per pound to one of our in- 

 spectors, and this, too, proved to be renovated butter. A 

 creamery manager in the western part of the State writes 



us : "Mr. of this town advertises continuously ' Elgin 



creamery butter, 25 cents per pound.' This business ought 

 to be stopped, for this figure is less than our wholesale price." 

 We could multiply such statements almost indefinitely, but 

 they would be merely cumulative. 



We have endeavored to present fairly the position of both 

 sides of the case. We have no personal interest in the mat- 

 ter, and regret that our convictions run counter to those of 

 the trade and many personal friends who have stood loyally 

 by the cause of honest butter in opposition to oleomargarine. 



Milk. 



The cost of production has greatly increased during the 

 past year, particularly the latter portion, on account of the 

 higher price of the grain fed to milch cows. This has re- 

 sulted in movements in many places for an advanced price 

 for milk. These agitations have generallv been successful, 

 and 7 cents seems to be the prevailing retail price, at least 

 outside of Boston. There considerable milk is retailed at 8 

 cents, and in case of superior milk an extra figure is secured. 

 In some instances farmers have become discouraged at the 

 low or unprofitable price, and curtailed their production. 

 The demand for milk has been very good, or at least until 

 near the close of the year. It is yet too early to tell the last- 

 ing effect of higher prices upon the consumptive demand for 

 milk. But milk at retail has not yet reached such a figure 



